ENGLISH TEXTS
W. M. I would say Quevega, our first star! I had asked Pierre Boulard to find us a beautiful, tall filly who could later become a broodmare. I was there when Quevega came off the truck … to my great surprise, she was tiny! I called Pierre and told him:“ She’ s really not big!” He replied:“ No, but she has a huge heart!” He was right! After her first victories in 2009 in the David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle at Cheltenham( a Group 2 at the time) and then the World Series Hurdle at Punchestown( Group 1), the mare had a tendon issue. We were not sure she would race again. The vet tried everything and we tailored her training with the sole objective of the 2010 Mares’ Hurdle. She won it, and a second World Series Hurdle six weeks later. She was too good; I made the decision to preserve her for just those races. So she only ran twice a year. Quevega won at Cheltenham six years in a row, something no other horse has achieved so far. She completed the David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle – World Series Hurdle double four years in a row. In 2014, after a fifth Mares’ Hurdle win, Quevega was beaten by a length and a quarter at Punchestown. That was her final race. I have indeed been very lucky with my French horses. More recently, Galopin des Champs has given us two Cheltenham Gold Cups, among other great wins. My biggest regret is Vautour, who might have been the best of them all. Sadly he fractured a leg in the paddock in 2016. His loss was very hard to take.
G. Have you ever considered opening a sat- ellite yard in France?
W. M. No, not at all! I am very satisfied with my Closutton training base, where everything is perfectly set up. I know my gallops, I have my marks. I would fear losing everything by spreading- and travel has become so much easier than before, whether by road or by ferry! There is no reason to create a second stable.“ I will certainly run less often at Auteuil”
G. Will you have runners during the 48H de l’ Obstacle at Auteuil?
W. M. Unfortunately not, because it comes too early in our schedule, our horses will not yet be ready, which is a shame, as the deep ground in November would suit them well. I have very good memories of Auteuil, although I could not highlight one particular victory. It is a magnificent track, but I will probably run fewer horses there in the future, as I notice that the races are getting faster and faster. And speed does not go well with jump racing. It is stressful to run a young prospect or a very good horse when you think he might fall and get injured.
G. How do you see the future of jump racing?
W. M. We have a challenge ahead of us. Decision-makers in this sport must act with future generations in mind. Today we must care about the image we project and therefore make racing safer, avoiding as much as possible the falls that can be horrible to watch. Jump racing requires a temperate climate and good ground. It is a winter game! We must prioritise the safety of jockeys and horses, place the fight against accidents and animal welfare above all else. Ground conditions must be at the centre of our concerns.
G. You set up as a trainer in 1988 with barely four horses. Since then you have won nearly every major race. Which victory stands out most?
W. M. I would say being crowned Champion NH Trainer both in Ireland and in Great Britain ² in 2024 and 2025, because it is not an achievement one imagines possible. Only Vincent O’ Brien had achieved that before me, seventy years ago! So it is quite unique. I have been very lucky during my career, I have won races in Ireland and France but also in Australia, and in the United States … I am the only European trainer to have won the Nakayama Grand Jump in Japan, with Blackstairmountain in 2013. But of course my strongest memory is my son Patrick’ s victory in the Grand National at Liverpool this year with Nick Rockett. It was an incredibly intense moment, especially since the stable achieved a 1-2-3 with I Am Maximus and Grangeclare West finishing second and third!
G. Are there still races missing from your résumé that you would like to win?
W. M. The Grand Steeplechase de Paris is still on my list! On the Flat, I would also love to win the Ascot Gold Cup and the Prix du Cadran, the“ Longchamp marathon” run over 4,000 metres. My brother Tony won it as a trainer in 2020 with Princess Zoe. I try to buy French-bred horses with a dual Flat / Jump profile for that kind of target,
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